Codes and Keys
by DyeFantahasii
Summary: Ellie Landon, a sixth year trying to make her way through her last few years at Hogwarts stumbles upon the our favorite trio. Immediately becoming friends, the quartet finds themselves in a whole heap of shenanigans! Its not easy being friends with the one you love. Join the gang on their adventure to defeat the Dark Lord and conquer romance. RxOC, HRxG
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

**Codes and Keys**

Chapter 1: Ellie

* * *

Like many other stories, this one begins with a girl. Ellie Landon to be exact. Standing at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters with luggage that was bigger than her! Tugging nervously on the hem of her shirt, she stretched herself as tall as she could to search for her few friends, but at the great height of five feet, three inches, the task proved itself to be very difficult. After a few minutes of tirelessly trying to see over people's heads, Ellie sighing and grabbed the handle to her luggage. "C'mon Cookie," she said, motioning to her ferret. After tugging lightly on his leash, she sighed and put him in her sweatshirt pocket instead. The animal immediately curled up and fell asleep.

Succeeding in getting her luggage safely aboard the Hogwarts Express, she climbed aboard and began the search for her friends once again. Ellie walked down the isle slowly, glancing this way and that way to see if any of her friends her in the small compartments. Just as she reached one of the last ones, Cookie began to squirm in her pocket. Taking him out, she held him to her chest as she went to find a compartment that wasn't full. The first one she checked was a disaster. "Hello?" she asked, ducking her head inside. "Can I-"

Before Ellie could finish, one of the girls screamed in horror. "Is that a rat?!"

Ellie blinked a few times before speaking. "N-no, it's a-"

"Never mind! Get that _thing_ out! Now!" another girl screamed, while the third one covered her face from the sight of Cookie. Immediately, Ellie slammed the sliding door shut. From behind it she could still hear the three girls making retching sounds from Cookie. Ellie looked down at the small ferret resting against her chest, shaking from the screaming that had just occurred. Ellie walked away from the compartment and looked down at Cookie.

"You're mot a rat..." she mumbled, bouncing him a bit. The next compartment she stopped at, she prayed wasn't the same as the last one. Ellie sighed before sliding the door open. Instead of a compartment full of girls, this one was full of Seven Years. Before she could ask to sit with them, a horrid smell reached her nose. Ellie covered up her nose quickly, backing away from the compartment. "Oh Merlin!" she yelled against her hand as she jogged away from the smelly, laughing boys.

After many other attempts of trying to find a seat, Ellie was on the verge of just sitting in the isle. However, when she reached the last compartment, she decided to try it. _What else could go wrong? _

Ellie slid the door open, the three people inside looked up at her expectantly. "All the other compartments are full...May I?" she asked.

"Of course," the girl said, moving her heavy looking bag from the seat next to her so that Ellie could sit down. "I'm Hermoine. Hermione Granger." the girl, Hermione, introduced herself. Ellie smiled and shook her outstretched hand.

"I'm Ellie, and this," she motioned to Cookie. "is Cookie." she said, holding him up for all to see.

"I'm Harry, this is Ron...Cookie?" the boy by the window said, motioning to himself and his friend.

Ellie nodded. "Well, when I first got him, he chewed holes in all of my shoes and bit me allot...I really didn't like him, so I named him after something I really dislike. Cookies."

Ellie's face grew red when she was done explaining and realized the three other people in the compartment were staring at me blankly. It wasn't until a few seconds later when Harry broke the silence with a genuine chuckle, relieving me slightly of her embarrassment. "I have an owl, I liked him, so I named him Hedwig." he said, smiling. Ellie laughed a bit, thankful that he was at least trying to make conversation.

Ellie looked at Hermione and Ron. "So...What years are you guys?" she asked, kicking my legs a bit.

"We're all sixth years, Gryffindors actually." Hermione said. "I'd be happy to show you around if you'd like."

"What?" Ellie asked, not understanding what she meant.

"You're a first year aren't you?" the boy, Ron, asked me. Ellie's mouth gaped open like a fish, not knowing what to say.

"I was nervous my first year too, you'll get the hang of it in no time Ellie." Harry offered, Ellie's eyebrows knotted in confusion. It was quiet for a few minutes as she debated on what to say. Ellie noticed Hermione, Harry, and Ron glance at each other, not knowing what to say next, possibly thinking that they've offended her.

"I'm actually...a sixth year myself."

Ron practically spit out the gummy candy he was chewing. "You've gotta be kidding me."

"Not at all. I was supposed to be a seventh year this year, but I redid my fifth year twice. I got swept up in all the Umbridge madness, failing all my classes in the end."

Harry, unfazed, continued. "Right. I think I remember you in my Charms class last year."

"How did you manage to fail all of your classes?" Hermione asked, utterly perplexed at the other girl's story.

Ellie shrugged. "Umbridge took away Cookie and accused me of impersonating a first year. I spent most of my time writing sentences for her."

Harry shuddered the slightest bit, recalling when Umbridge made him write "_I must not tell lies_", making him use his own blood as ink. Harry glanced over at Ron, who was no longer immersed in his gummy candy that closely resembled a muggle candy called a Twizzler. Instead, he seemed to be interested in Ellie, this small girl who could pass as a child. Maybe it was her round face and large blue eyes that made it appear that way. Regardless, no matter how hard Harry tried to pin point it, he could never be quite sure. Throughout the train ride, the trio bombarded Ellie with an abundance of questions.

"Where did you live before now?"

"How tall are you exactly?"

"Do you have any siblings?"

When the train finally stopped, it was clear that Ellie was glad the questions were over, but pleased that she had made some new friends. When they all got off, Ellie turned to them. "Thanks for letting me sit with you guys."

"You can sit with us to eat too if you want." Ron suggested, shoving his hands in his pockets.

Ellie's face fell. "That would be lovely...But I'm not a Gryffindor. Thanks anyways."

Ron's face fell as well. "What house are you in anyways?" Hermione asked.

"Hufflepuff." Ellie confirmed as Cookie crawled up onto her shoulder. "I really hope we can all still be friends. You know, still talk and stuff."

Ron, Hermione, and Harry all nodded. "Of course. Why wouldn't we be?" Harry asked.

Ellie shrugged. "I don't know. I just...I've seen friends drift apart because of being placed in different houses. It's actually very common."

"I'm sure that won't happen." Harry said, Hermione and Ron nodding in agreement. Ellie smiled the slightest bit and the group continued on their way.

* * *

Harry, Ron, and Hermione took their seats at the Gryffindor table after Ellie had found one of her other friends from her own house and sat down with her.

"She was a nice girl, wasn't she?" Hermione asked, making conversation.

Harry and Ron nodded. "Yeah, a little odd though." Ron said, resting his chin in the palm of his hand as he watched the first years file by.

"How?" Hermione asked, her eye brows knotting in confusion.

Ron shrugged. "I dunno. I've never seen a sixth year, _an eighteen year old _to be exact, look like an eleven year old."_  
_

Neither Harry nor Hermione could object to that of course, it was rather odd. Ron and Harry's eyes slid over to where Ellie was sitting. Although they could barely see her through all the other tables, they could definitely tell it was her from by the way she was so much smaller than everybody else.

Harry broke his eyes from Ellie after a few seconds and looked over at Hermione already with her nose in a new book. Ron, however, was still staring at Ellie. Harry still smirked at his friend's possible infatuation, whether he was actually looking at her or just simply staring off into space, with of who he claimed to be an "eleven year old." Even so, Harry lightly elbowed Ron. "Pretty cute, yeah?"

Ron jerked and blinked a few times before turning to his friend and responding. "What?"

Harry, who was still smiling, casually pointed a finger towards a certain Hufflepuff. Ron objected immediately objected and started mumbling about first years and food.

When the ceremony was over and so was the feast, the first years were shown to their dormatories. With Hermione leading the Gryffindor first years, Ron and Harry stayed behind and waited for the Great Hall to clear along with some other students, Hufflepuff was the last to leave. As the two boys got up to leave, Ron shove his hands in his pockets and hang his head low. Harry could tell he was trying to avoid looking at the group of first year Hufflepuffs that passed by. Honestly, Harry did find this behavior odd. It was rare when Ron acted like this. After Hermione had attended the Yule Ball with Viktor Krum, he had spent the next few days with his head low, mumbling about food. Potatoes mostly.

Not wanting to pry, Harry let the matter go and copied Ron's action of shoving his hands into his pockets. They walked back to the dormitories in an awkward silence, eventually, Harry let his mind wander to Ginny.

* * *

After Ellie stripped down and changed for bed, she pulled her long, light-brown hair into a bun for the night. The other girls already in bed for the night, she was the last one up. The other girls' subtle remarks and whining gave her the hint that she should probably go to bed soon, lest she want a fat toad in her shoes the next morning.

Quietly climbing into bed and turning off the lights with a flick of her wand, Ellie snuggled underneath the warm covers. As her eyes grew heavy, her mind wandered back to the Sorting Ceremony. She had caught Ron staring at her. Of course it could go either way, Ellie was so excited to have new friends, you could say she got caught staring at Ron through the crowds of students. Ellie was never one for new friends. Constantly being bullied for her size, it can stop a person from being outgoing towards making new friendships.

When the two fifth years' eyes connected, Ellie quickly fixed her slightly agape mouth by biting her bottom lip and quickly turning back to her friends. Her face burned red hot at dinner, and it burned red hot in the dark then, she was just glad no one could see her. Maybe it was just the way Ron looked at her, Ellie was almost positive Ron gave her a half-tipped smile and it made her stomach fill with butterflies.

* * *

**End of Chapter 1**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

**Codes and Keys**

Chapter 2: Days Gone By

* * *

Days practically flew by at school for Ellie and before she knew it, she was three weeks into school. On this particular day, Ellie was particularly bored. Having to listen to a lecture all class period caused the sixth year to distract herself by twirling a lock of her wavy brown hair around her finger and stare into space.

Her friendship with Hermione, Harry, and Ron had bloomed in the few short weeks they had known each other. Ellie and Hermione had become especially close. Ellie was able to connect with her friend on an intellectual level, exchanging theories, ideas, and homework for that matter. Although Ellie wasn't as studios as Hermione, she often spent the time when Hermione was studying (which was often) with Harry and Ron. When it was cool outside the trio would head over to the Quiddich field and Ellie would watch them practice for upcoming games. Of course, Ron and Harry had persistent in asking the girl to get on a broom and join them, Ellie would always decline, fearing she would embarrass herself in front of the two by falling off or losing a shoe in the midst of their fun. So instead she would recline in the lower seats near the ground and relax with her ferret, Cookie.

The infatuation for Ron that Ellie had found to be present a few weeks prior had remained. A secret glance here and there, the temptation to ask Ron if he needed any help with his homework, she even dared to brush his hand when they walked next to each other. A small hope lay inside her that he might get the hint and hold her hand. That was two weeks ago, and with no results, Ellie had settled for the secret glances that she knew that both of them gave. She had seen his head turn to her table during breakfast yesterday out of her peripheral vision, but then again he could have been searching for more fried eggs to eat.

Changing the course her mind was taking, she thought about her N.E.W.T. classes. Ellie had been cleared for almost all of her classes except Ancient Runes. She scowled at the mere though of the horrid subject, not that it truly was a horrid subject, she just despised it because she wasn't good enough at it to continue to N.E.W.T. level. Ellie then wondered how Ron, Harry, and Hermione did on their N.E.W.T.s, hoping they had some of the same classes together. Maybe she would try to find them after lunch and ask...

Just as that thought had crossed her mind, the class was over. Slinging her bag over her shoulder and gathering her books, she shuffled off to lunch.

* * *

The trio sat in their usual spot as they at lunch, as Ron and Harry feasted on the food around them, Hermione sat behind a fortress of large books and studied for a test that was certain to announce itself at any time. Ron stuffed a piece of chicken into his mouth and turned to Harry. "What should we do after lunch?" he asked, his speech slightly muffled by the great amount of food that was stashed in his mouth.

Harry shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe-"

"-Learn how to chew with your mouth closed?" someone interrupted. Ron, about to make a rude comeback, saw none other than Ellie taking a seat beside Hermione. Harry laughed as he saw Ron's face turn scarlet and his jaws clamp shut quickly. Also laughing, Ellie handed him the napkin in front of her as she turned to Harry. "How'd you do with N.E.W.T.s?" she asked.

Harry gave a last glance at Ron, who was hiding his face behind the napkin before replying. "Good, everything's like I wanted it to be. No complaints. You?"

"I did fine, I didn't get N.E.W.T. level in Ancient Runes class though...A bit upset about that, I can't complain overall though." Ellie informed.

"Sorry 'bout that." Ron mumbled, finally swallowing his mouthful of chicken and putting the napkin down.

Ellie shrugged. "It's a horrible class anyways, I'll get over it."

Hermione laughed behind her stack of books. "You're lucky, I have to turn in a fifteen-inch essay by next Wednesday!"

Ellie gaped at this. _Fifteen-inch essay_? She's never heard of such a thing! "I think I just got over it..."

Ron, Hermione, and Harry snickered at her remark before she sighed and picked up her heavy books with a huff. "I haven't eaten yet today, super hungry. See you later, after lunch maybe?" Ellie asked, adjusting the books in her arms and she shuffled in her place.

"Sounds cool." Ron and Harry said, Hermione already having been sucked back into her world of books. Smiling, Ellie waddled away, the mass of the books throwing off her center of balance. Ron couldn't help but stare after her little waddling form as she moved further away from them.

"Way to be smooth Ron." Hermione said, bookmarking her textbook before closing it and setting it on the table in front of her. The two boys stopped chewing at Hermione's choice of words.

"What's that you mean by 'smooth'?" Ron asked, sensing the sarcasm in his friends voice.

"She's right Ron, you barely said anything to her." Harry added.

"Yes, you spent almost the whole conversation behind the napkin trying to get the chicken down." Hermione said, giggling as she noticed the napkin clutched tightly in his hand. "Are you planning on keeping that napkin?"

"Don't pick on him Hermione, let him think about what to say to her for when we meet up after lunch." Harry said, putting his own napkin down as he finished his meal. Ron's face went the slightest bit pale as he remembered what they were doing after lunch.

"But just to be clear," Harry said, turning fully to face Ron. "you do like her, don't you?"

Ron's two friends leaned in, ready for the answer. "She's...She's cute. I guess."

* * *

After Ellie had eaten her lunch of turkey sandwiches and mashed potatoes, she retreated up to her dormitory. After throwing her books on the floor next to her bed, she flopped down onto the squishy fabric. Ellie knew she was supposed to be going to see Ron, Harry, and Hermione right now, but the soft bed had lured her in. Curses.

Unwillingly, Ellie pushed herself out of bed, grabbed her bag, and shuffled out the door to meet her friends.

On the way down to ground level, Ellie ran into some of her old Hufflepuff friends. One in particular waved at her, a fifth year named Flora Quibley. "Hey Ellie! Haven't seen you around in a while."

Ellie and Flora hugged tightly before letting go of each other. "Yeah, I made some new friends in another house. Its hard trying to find time to hang out. It's good to see you again Flora."

"Yeah, I know how that can be!" the fifth year laughed, her pearly white teeth standing out from her bold red lips. All in all, Ellie thought Flora was beautiful. She was actually envious of Flora, especially when it came down to the Yule Ball. Flora always had a date, all five years so far and there were always so many handsome boys who wanted to take her. Meanwhile, Ellie sat on her bed eating all the candy she had bought on her various trips to Hagsmeade. Trying to dull the sting of having no one ask her. Well, that wasn't true. A boy did ask her in her third year, but at the last minute he was stricken ill with Scrofungulus and had to cancel. Ellie saw him while he was infected, it was awful.

"Anyways, we should hang out sometime too! Come get me when you're not busy with your _buzzing _social life!" Flora winked at Ellie before bounding off to catch up with the other Hufflepuffs. "See you later!"

Ellie was left in a daze after Flora left, but it was quickly replaced by a dank depression of the reminder that she never got to go to her first Yule Ball. By the time Lounard had recovered, he had already aquired a date for the following year's Yule Ball. How does that even happen? Sighing, Ellie continued down the stairs. An imaginary storm cloud hovering over her head as she walked.

* * *

Harry and Ron leaned against the wall outside of the classroom where Hermione was pestering the teacher for more information on that fifteen-inch essay that had been assigned. Ron held an Every Flavor Bean in front of his face and contemplated what flavor it could be. For instance, it's greenish-brown color insisted it could either taste like mint chocolate, mud, or worst of all...Cabbages. Ron dropped the bean back into the box that it had come in, not wanting to take that risky chance, and fished around for another one.

Harry on the other hand, held a piece of parchment paper in front of his face that held the names of all the students who wanted to try out for this year's Quiddich team. "This is gonna be fun..." Harry mumbled sarcastically, not wanting to face the first years who couldn't fly to save their lives. Immediately he folded up the worn paper and shoved it into one of his back pockets as he saw Ellie draw near. Harry then elbowed Ron harshly in the ribs. Ron practically choked on the cherry bean he was enjoying. Almost turning to Harry to whine, he saw Ellie out of the corner of his eye and immediately knew why his best mate had elbowed him so rudely.

"Hey Ellie," Ron said, speaking on behalf of Harry's urging stare, ultimately noticed Ellie's fowl mood. "Everything okay down there?"

Ellie's head snapped up and Ron smashed the box of Bernie Bott's Every Flavour Beans to his mouth. Not believing he made a short joke about the girl he liked...In front of the girl he liked.

Ellie, being the good sport that she is, cracked a smile. "Down here? Oh, its just lovely down here. It's not as humid."

Ron slowly lowered the box from his lips. "It's very humid up here..." Ron said, attempting to make a joke about his own height, being the tallest in the group of friends after all. Ellie gave a laugh and grabbed Ron's hand. Ron's face looked like he had smeared strawberry jelly on it. Ellie had just made the move!

Unfortunately, Ron thought wrong. Ellie had indeed grabbed his hand though, not for his affection, but for his box of Every Flavor Beans. She lowered the box down to her level and picked a blue bean out quickly. Ellie then looked back up at Ron, whose face was still aflame. "I hope you don't mind,"

"Ron doesn't mind at all!" Harry laughed, putting his arm around Ron, just as his friend was about to answer.

Just then, Hermione emerged from the classroom looking quite flustered. "Ready? Hey Ellie."

"Yeah, let's go." Ron said, calming down, and the quartet started their journey to the Quiddich fields. Where Hermione and Ellie would Ultimately watch their two friends play one-on-one while they themselves would finish off Ron's box of Every Flavor Beans.

* * *

**End of Chapter 2**


End file.
